Method of and means for reenforcing wall foundations



May 26, 1925. 1,539,033

' J. A. YOUNGBLOOD METHQD OF AND MEANS FOR REENFORCING WALL FOUNDATION-5 Filed June 21. 1924 G ROUN D INVENTOR 2 w 2" v I llfllfuuz ybload 4 jvm assgs FBY Patented May 26, 1925.

' JAMES ALGERNON YOUNGIBLOOD, F DALLAS, TEXAS.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR REENFORGIN G WALL FOUNDATIONS Application filed. June 21, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. YOUNGBLOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in thecounty of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Means for Reenforcing lVall Foundations, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of and means for reenforcing wall foundations.

The object is to provide an improved method and means for strengthening the lower portions and foundations of walls, es pecially old walls which may show signs of weakening or cracking through the uneven settling of the ground beneath the same, the improved method and means being car lied on with a minimum amount of excavation or other labor and with little or no danger to the wall or the operatives.

i The invention is designed as an improve-- ment on the subject matter shown and described in Patent No. 1451799, issued to me on April 17, 1923, the present invention being much more simple in construction, entailing less labor and preparation to install, and having the added advantage of placing the actual strengthening and supporting means directly within the confines of the footing ofthe old wall, so as to avoid the possibility of weakening the support beneath the same, which often results where it is attempted to excavate at either side or be low the lower level of said footing. However, the principal improvement is to prevent further uneven settling of the original foundations and to evenly support the wall over soft portions of the earth beneath the wall.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, it being understood that while the drawing shows apractical form of the invention, the latter is not to be confined to strict conformity with the showing thereof, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims- Serial No. 721,441.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures Figure 1 is a side. elevation of a portion of a wall having the improved reenforcing means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional viewthrough the same, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section, taken substantially on the line 4.4 of Figure 2 and showing the required excavation, with the necessary concrete forms in position, prior to the pouring of the concrete.

Figure 4 is a similar view, taken on the hne 4--4 of Flgure 2 and showing the completed structure in position moved. a The reenforced concrete wallv strengthenmg structure shown and-described in the aforesaid patent contemplated the erection of longitudinally disposed sills or beams along the lower or foundation portions of the wall and below the. ground level, and

and the forms resupporting the sills by separate footings lo- I cated at either side of the original footing of the wall. The said sills were arranged in spaced relation to the old wall, and tied to the same by cross beams passing therethrough and having locking connection therewith. The spacing of the from the wall did not afford a continuous contacting relation, and consequently no con tinuous strengthening or reenforcing of the wall by said sills, the weight of the old wall sills away being supported, in the event of the settling of the ground, only at intervals by means of the transverse beams. This arrangement also necessitated considerable excavation at tion or other labor, and without loosening or disturbing the ground beneath the footing thereof.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a portion of what may be considered an old wall, indicated at 1, the said wall having the usual widened base 2 at the bottom therethe wall often falls or cracks, thus causing loss of life and property or menacing the same, with the result that the building must be demolished or abandoned. As a preventive of such mishap, the invention is designed to be installed during the process of erection of the wall or walls of a building, which may then be easily done by reason of the initial excavation for the wall, and the same is true in the case of repair to an old wall, inasmuch as the improved means may be installed with a very small amount of excavation and labor, the said excavation being located close to thew'all, at each side thereof, and above the footing.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the'drawing, the excavation-8 at each side of the wall need only be as wide, or a trifle wider, than .the'width of the extending footing 2 and such excavation maybe easily, quickly and safely made "along an old wall without danger to the same, even though the same be more or less crackedor damaged.

After the excavations are made, a series oftransverse holes or openings 4 are cut through the wall, preferably ata point'substantially midway between the upper face of the footing and the grouiiddevel, and

such cutting operations may be easily accomplished from the surface of the ground, the small trenches allowlng ample room for manipulating the cutting tools.

The" forms 5 are then set up in the usual manner with the necessary supports and braces, the wall of the-forms being preferably set in a short distance from the edge of the footing, as shown in Figure- 3, and the bottom board 6 of the form may rest upon-the said footing or, if desired, may be built up higher by any desired means.

The holes 4 may be rectangular, round or any other shape'that may result in cutting through a hard wall and doing, the same .in the easiest manner, theinequalities that may result from encountering more .or less hard portionsin the wall having no. effect on the result desired. I 7

When theconcrete, of any'desired mixture, ispoured orplaced into the space between the wall and the forms, the same will liowor pass through theholes '4, thus intercommingling and forming a homogeneous mass and providing side belts or bands 7 at each side of the wall 1, the same tightly hugging and adhering to the wall, and connected by a series of transverse beams 8, integrally connected to the belts and passing through the holes l to permanently bind the members together.

As is customary, in forming concrete structures of any considerable magnitude or weight, reenforcing iron bars 9 are placed in position longitudinally of the bands 7, at spaced intervals from the bottom to the top thereof, and other transverse iron bars 10 are placed in position to more tightly bind the parts together and provide a practically indestructible reenforcement, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

After the concrete is set or hardened, the forms 5, together with the bottom boards 6 are removed, and the small trench remaining is filled.

This invention is particularly valuable in strengthening a wall. Should the footing of the wall at any place become weak, or the foundation give way, thereenforced concrete band or belt surrounding the lower portion of the wall would give to t-he'weakened portion a firmness and stability which would hold the entire wall without danger of fallmg.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple means and method of installing the same, for repairing or strengthening walls has been provided, requiring little labor and eliminating the danger usually attendant upon such operations.

What is cla-imed is: I

1. The method of reeinforcing old Walls -which consists in excavating at one side of said walldown to the footing but no wider than the same, cutting a hole through; the' wall between the ground level and thef'footing, forming a band or belt of concrete against the wall between the footing and the ground level, said bandor belt having an integral beam traversing the hole and adapted to transfer part of the-weight of the wall to the bandand to tie the latter to the wall.

2. The method of reenforcing old walls which consists in excavating at each side of the wall foundation down to but nowider than the footing, cutting spaced holes through the wall between the footingv and the ground level, building concrete forms with bottoms at each side upon the footing, then pouring concrete into the forms to traverse the holes, then removing the forms after setting to form opposite bands. abutting the faces of the wall in spacedv relation to the footing and joined together by beams beams passing through the wall.

3. A reenforcing structure for walls having a footing at the base, comprisingopposite bands of reinforced concrete running continuously with the wall at opposite sides thereof and between said footing and the ground level, said bands being joined to-- gether at intervals by reenforced concrete beams passing through the Wall.

4%. A reenforcing structure for walls comprising continuous bands of reenforced con crete at each side of the wall in abutting relation to the same and opposite each other, the lower edges of the bands being spaced from the footing of the wall, beams passing through the wall at intervals, said beams be ing integrally connected to the bands and of less height than the same.

5. A reenforcing structure for walls comprising opposite-bands of reenforced concrete having strengthening rods arranged longitudinally therein, said bands abutting the opposite faces of the wall and spaced from the footing thereof, and transverse beams formed integrally with the beams and connecting the same together, said beams having longitudinal strengthening rods therein and traversing pre-arranged holes in the wall. y

6. In reenforcing structures for standing Walls having a footing wider than the same,

opposite reenforced concrete bands of less thickness than the extension of said footing and arranged in contacting relation at each side of the wall, with their lower faces spaced from the footing and their upper faces below the ground level, and transverse reenforced concrete beams traversing holes in the Wall arranged longitudinally of the bands, said beams being of less height than said bands and integrally joined thereto at each end.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

JAMES ALGERNON rouncaioon. 

